Growing Forward
The Global Food Institute and Food Tank are proud to present a weekly editorial series by thought leaders that spotlights innovative approaches to the most pressing food and agriculture system challenges. See all pieces in the series:
Together, We Can Build Better Food and Agriculture Systems
May 13, 2025
Read the inaugural essay by GFI's Carbonell Family Executive Director Stacy Dean.
Steady Work, Lasting Change: How Maine is Leveraging Federal Nutrition Programs to End Childhood Food Insecurity
September 2, 2025
Justin Strasburger, the Executive Director of Full Plates Full Potential, shares how the non profit works tirelessly to ensure that all Maine kids are fed - every meal, every day.
Food for All: Addressing the Allergy Crisis to Build a Better Food System
August 26, 2025
Ilana Golant, founder and CEO of the Food Allergy Fund (FAF), shares why addressing the food allergy crisis is important for all people, though her lived experiences.
Lessons from Renewable Energy for an Agri-food Systems Overhaul: Q&A with Zitouni Ould-Dada
August 19, 2025
Zitouni Ould-Dada, Senior Advisor for the FAIRR Initiative shares how food systems reform can be a force for environmental, economic, and social restoration.
From Capitol Hill to the School Cafeteria: Q&A with Dan Glickman on Fixing Our Food System
August 12, 2025
Former US Secretary of Agriculture, Dan Glickman reflects on the shifting politics of food and agriculture in a Q&A with GFI’s Priya Fielding-Singh.
From Scarcity to Abundance: Unlocking Solutions to the Food Crisis
August 5, 2025
Evan Fraser, the Director of Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph, addresses growing concerns surrounding the stability of international trade, and the implications it might have on our food systems.
Food Is Medicine and the Future of Care Delivery
July 29, 2025
Pamela Schwartz, Kaiser Permanente's Executive Director for Community Health, shares how the the Food Is Medicine National Network of Excellence established approaches for integrating food-based interventions into health care systems and communities.
Hunger Is a Litmus Test—Of Our Values, Our Faith, and Our Future
July 22, 2025
Dr. Jeremy Everett, the founder and executive director of the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty, shares the impact of the Meals-to-You initiative.
Designing Dietary Guidance for Everyone: Q&A with Sameera Talegawkar
July 15, 2025
Dr. Sameera Talegawkar spoke with Priya Fielding-Singh about chairing the first Health Equity Working Group for the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.
Michigan’s School Meal Policies Help Keep Children Healthy and Local Farms in the Mix
July 8, 2025
Michigan State Superintendent, Michael F. Rice, Ph.D., shares why universal school meals programs are so important.
Food Justice Is Economic Justice: How a Box of Produce Can Rebuild Our Food System
July 1, 2025
Dion Dawson, the founder & Chief Dreamer of Dion’s Chicago Dream shares how with his organization, food assistance should be a launchpad—not a lifeline.
Our Fates Are Intertwined: Incorporating Indigenous Values into Buffalo Food Systems and Conservation Work
June 24, 2025
Heather Dawn Thompson of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) emphasizes the importance of Indigenous perspectives in the conversation around buffalo food systems.